


every rose

by PersephoneHemingway



Series: spyglass//gunmetal [6]
Category: John Wick (Movies)
Genre: Assassins & Hitmen, Assassins trying to not be assassins anymore, Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Ficlet, Gardens & Gardening, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Just leave John alone, Reader-Insert, Retired John Wick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21724828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PersephoneHemingway/pseuds/PersephoneHemingway
Summary: you coincidentally move in next to the baba yaga. the two of you become neighborly.
Relationships: John Wick & Reader, John Wick & You
Series: spyglass//gunmetal [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477025
Comments: 6
Kudos: 68





	every rose

You’d moved to a quiet neighborhood in a house with an overgrown garden that you’d decided to tame. It was unruly, and just what you needed.

You had a neighbor, and something about his demeanor was familiar. You watched him.

He knew you were watching. He knew you saw him hand the mailman a gold coin. And there was something about the way you looked down after he did it—like it was a confirmation, like it made you sad, like you understood more than you should’ve—that’s when he first suspected you were part of his world.

But he didn’t do anything about it.

He just watched—the same way you watched him.

It was a careful dance of days and weeks, watching to make sure that you really did move next to him by coincidence, and that he wasn’t going to take any action against you because of it.

About two and a half weeks in, you both had a pretty good handle on the other’s routine, and it was mutually decided that you were not immediate threats to one another. Your sanctuaries were safe for now.

So you started to wave to him when he’d come out in the morning to walk his dog, and he’d wave back at you crouched over and pruning your roses. You shared soft smiles and sympathy, but you hadn’t yet shared any words.

Then there was an… incident.

Late afternoon, you’d stepped out on to your porch in your oversized t-shirt and sun hat when you heard a muffled grunt come from behind the bushes.

The suspicious car parked sideways on the curbside and the black-suited man kicking in your neighbor’s front door filled in the rest.

You quietly slipped around the bushes and switched up the grip you had on your pruning shears before you plunged them into a man’s jugular. The spray of blood had the attacker dropping pretty quick, and your neighbor easily regained his breath once he was no longer in a chokehold.

"I should've brought the hedgeclipper, huh?"

Your neighbor touched his neck and nodded to you gratefully. You jerked your chin to motion at his front door.

“Get the one inside. I’ll call in the reservation for two.”

His nod was more succinct that time, and in a blink he was sliding into his home. There were two gunshots. You pulled out your phone.

&

“So,”

You stood side by side on John’s front porch as the coins were taken and the bodies were dragged away.

“Why’d they want you so bad?”

“…My history.”

“Oh,” You were willing to leave it cryptic; you could wait—but you figured you’d offer up something to encourage him to talk. “I’m (Y/N), by the way.”

“John.”

You nodded, then you blinked. _John_. Wait. “ _Oh._ ”

He didn’t miss the recognition. He wondered why you hadn’t backed away.

"You know who I am?"

You nod.

"And you're not afraid?"

You looked up thoughtfully. "Not really, no."

"How come?"

A soft, knowing smile.

"I come from a bit of a legacy myself."

"Oh?"

You turned and tipped your chin.

"See, it's rumored I'm the daughter of the _Baba Yaga_..."

His eyes went wide, then squinted with skepticism.

"But who knows, really. I don't know if it matters. Doesn’t really change anything."

You didn’t want to spook him. You didn’t want to dwell on the past.

“…Yeah.”

&

When your plants were thirsty, you had to bring water down from your second-floor bathroom to water them because only the bathtub was big enough to fit the watering can under the faucet.

You’d go up and down the carpeted stairs and the porch stairs several times before all your plants were finally happy.

He noticed.

“No hose?”

“No hose hookup.”

“Oh,” He looked off to the side. “You can use mine?”

“Thanks, I just might.”

In the pause, you watched each other shift from foot to foot, hands in pockets.

Surprisingly, he broke the silence.

"So what are you doing here, then?"

"Hiding, more or less. Until someone decides they want me back enough to hunt me down. Then I guess I'll start working again. I don't know. Roll with the punches, yeah?"

He nods slowly. He turns his body to the side, then walks up to the deck and lifts up a big brown bag of plant refuse. He moves out down to the end of the lawn by the mailbox. Brushes his hands off. Nods to the garbage. Turns and nods to you. And he heads back over to his house.

You call after him—

"Let me know about the Christmas lights, yeah?"

He looks back over his shoulder.

"Yeah."

&

The peace broke again a few weeks later.

You were using John’s hose when you had a visitor. A shivery thing of a girl was poking around your rose bushes. You shut off the hose and approached her just as John was bringing Dog out for his morning walk. He watched you.

"I- I'm looking for the Lady Persephone.."

You straightened and your face shifted serious.

"And who asks for the Lady Persephone?"

"A- a girl.. in trouble with a man.."

She looked so sad. You held out a hand.

"The Lady listens. The Lady soothes."

"Oh! Th- thank you-!!"

Your face softens and your voice grows kind.

"Of course. What's your name, hun?"

"M-Melanie.."

"Hey, Melanie. I'll get this taken care of for you, okay? I'll need to know a bit more though, if you'll tell me."

"Y-yes Milady, thank you, Milady..."

You smile.

"Come follow me."

&

You’re sitting on John’s porch rolling a pebble under your shoe when he comes back from his walk with Dog.

He shares a sad look with you.

"Work?"

"Work."

You ran your hand back through your hair.

"I should be back in a few days..."

He nods, understanding.

"I'll water your plants while you're away."

You gave him a surprised sunshine smile.

"Thank you, John. Thank you."

**Author's Note:**

> has its thorn.


End file.
